Portable home soda fountain



April 4, 1967 c. w. SCOGGINS ETAL 3,312,083

PORTABLE HOME SODA FOUNTAIN Filed Aug. 25, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet, 1

Fig.

DV V VOV V V V VOVOX VOV V g gog g w 9? Xbgo D00 0 Cecil M. ScoyginsDonald L. Todd INVENTORS United States Fatent Ofifice 3,33l2fld3Patented Apr. 4, 1957 The present invention generally relates to a sodafountain construction and more particularly to a portable self-containedsoda fountain especially adapted for use in the home or the like andincludes means for dispensing various liquid flavoring materialstogether with means for dispensing carbonated water which isrefrigerated so that such carbonated water will be cold for mixing withthe flavor material which is also dispensed from the soda fountain.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable homesoda fountain having a novel refrigeration assembly associated with acarbonated water tank together with a novel association of a carbondioxide pressure tank with a water tank so that the carbon dioxide willbe intimately commingled with the water for discharge thereof from acarbonated water faucet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable homesoda fountain which is constructed in such a manner that a supply of thevarious flavoring materials may be readily replenished and the supply ofwater also readily replenished.

Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a sodafountain which is simple in construction, easy to use, effective forretaining the carbonated water cold and relatively inexpensive tomaintain.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the portable home soda fountain of thepresent invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along the section line 22 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the interiorstructural details of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal, plan sectional view taken substantially upona plane passing along section line 3--3 of FIGURE 2 illustrating furtherstructural details of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the device with the cover removed therefrom;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse, sectional view taken substantially upon aplane passing along section line 5-5 of FIGURE 1 illustrating furtherstructural details of the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a detail sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 6-6 of FIGURE 3, on an enlarged scale,illustrating the structure of the inlet orifice for carbon dioxide;

FIGURE 7 is a detail sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 77 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the details ofconstruction of one of the control devices for the flavoring material;

FIGURE 8 is a detail sectional View taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 88 of FIGURE 7 illustrating furtherstructural details of the control mechanism; and

FIGURE 9 is a schematic view of the refrigeration system illustratingthe association of the refrigerating coil with the carbonated watertank.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generallydesignates the portable home soda fountain which includes a hollowcabinet structure 12 having a removable closure lid or cap 14 whichconceals certain of the com p-onents of the soda fountain.

The cabinet or housing 12 includes a bottom wall 16, an upstanding frontwall 18, an upstanding rear wall 19 and upstanding end walls 20 and 22.The bottom 16 has a downwardly depending skirt 24 which partiallyconceals supporting feet 26 which may have a resilient component 28attached thereto for engaging a supporting surface. The back panel 19extends downwardly alongside the flange or skirt 2d and also has anupper end portion which extends upwardly beyond the top edge of thefront wall 18 as illustrated in FIGURE 5. As illustrated in FIG- URE 2the end walls 20 and 22 have inturned top and bottom flanges 30 in whichthe bottom flanges are secured to the bottom wall 16 by any suitablemeans such as welding, soldering or the like. Attached to the upperinturned flanges 30 on the end walls 24) and 22 is a top plate or cover32 secured thereto by suitable fasteners 34.

The cover 14 includes a top panel 36, depending end panels 38 and adepending and inwardly inclined front panel 4-0 which has the lower edgetherefore terminating in spaced relation to the front wall 18. The backedge of the top panel 36 rests on the upper edge of the rear wall 19 andangled clips 4-2 secured thereto. r

Extending laterially outwardly from the bottom edge of the front panel18 is a trough member 4-4 having an upturned outer edge 46 receiving ascreen or reticulated member 48 therein so that any drippage or spillagewill be received. The ends of the trough 44% are closed by end pieces 5ihaving an inclined upper edge and the front panel in is secured toflanges 31 on the forward edges of the and plates 20 and 22 by fasteners52 and the rear wall 19 is secur'ed to similar flanges 31 by fasteners54. The rear wall 19 is provided with a screened or reticulated grill5'5 therein and the end wall 22 is provided with a similar screen orgrill 58 of reticulated material to enable air circulation over acondenser 64} of a refrigeration system which is conventional inconstruction and may be of the finned coil type. A fan 62 is disposedbehind the condenser 66 and the fan 62 is driven by a fan motor 64supported by a suitable bracket es. Inwardly of the fan motor 64,, thereis provided a compressor motor unit 68 of conventional construction andwhich may be hermetically sealed and mounted on a suitable supportingplate "iii with any suitable vibration absorbing means associatedtherewith. The compressor motor unit has a suction line 72 returningfrom an evaporator coil 74- and a hot gas discharge line 76 extending tothe condenser 60. The condensor 60 discharges the refrigerant through astrainer 73 and a capillary tube 86 which forms an expansion device orflow restrictor to enable the liquid refrigerant to expand into theevaporator coil 7'4. The components of the refrigeration system areconventional except the particular configuration of the evaporator coil74. Further, a heat sensitive bulb 82 is provided for controllingoperation of the compressor in a conventional manner with there being athermostat 84 for enabling the evaporator coil to cool a carbonatedWater tank 86 to a desired lowered temperature.

As illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 5, the evaporator coil '74 encircles thewater tank 86 over a substantial portion of the cylindrical peripheralwall thereof. The heat sensing bulb 82 is received within an inclinedtube 88 inserted into the bottom portion of the tank 36 as illustratedin FIGURES. The entire tank 86 is enclosed with insulation material 90which may be in the form of expanded plastic which not only insulatesthe tank and the water 92 therein but also supports the tank andevaporator coil 74 within the housing.

The upper end of the tank 86 is provided with a cylindrical pipe 94rigidly afixed thereto which extends up wardly through the insulationmaterial 913 and also through the top plate 32 with the pipe 94 beingrelatively large and provided with a screw-threaded cap as sealed to theupper end thereof by a sealing gasket 93 so that water 92 may be pouredinto the tank 86 through the pipe 94 by merely removing the cover 14 andthen removing the cap as so that water may be introduced into the tank86 by any suitable means such as pouring from a container or using afilling hose or the like.

Disposed freely on top of the board or plate 32 adjacent the rear Wall19 is a cylinder of compressed carbon dioxide 1% having a regulatingvalve 162 communicated therewith and also a pressure indicating gauge1114 to indicate the outlet pressure. The regulating valve 1112 issupported on a manual valve 106 and provided with a hand control knob1111 for opening and closing the valve The cylinder 1%, valve 104; andpressure regulator 1112 lie freely in place and can be moved or liftedup for disconnection of regulator 102 from cylinder valve 1%. Theregulating valve 102 has a tube 112 communicated therewith extending toan adapter or fitting 114i extending downwardly through the plate 32 byvirture of an enlongated tube 116 which extends down to and is disposedadjacent the bottom of the tank 85. The tube 116 is provided with ascrew-threaded cap 11? disposed on the lower end thereof with the caphaving an orifice 12f) therein to enable discharge of carbon dioxide gasinto the tank 86 near the bottom thereof so that it will be intimatelycommingled and mixed with the water 92 within the tank 36 so that suchwater will be carbonated.

Also extending through the top plate 32 and into the tank 556 is a tube122 having a popoff valve fitting 124 on the upper end thereof which isset at a pressure well below the rupturing pressure of the tank 86 thusassuring that any excess pressure built up in the tank 36 will bedischarged.

Also extending down through the top plate 32 is a carbonated wateroutlet tube 126 terminating adjacent to but spaced above the bottom ofthe tank 86 and provided with a fitting 128 on the upper end thereofconnected with a tube 131) that extends to and is connected to an outletfaucet 132. having a valve control handle 134 associated therewith withthe faucet 132 being orientated above the trough 44 as illustrated inFIGURE 1.

Mounted between the upper end of the front panel 18 and front skirtmember 135 is a plurality of inverted containers 138 of variousflavoring materials. Each of the containers 138 has a discharge tube 146of flexible material such as plastic or the like and the discharge tube144" extends down through pairs of brackets 142 which are spaced fromeach other and the tube 140 extends through a tube pinching valve orassembly 144. Also, the front panel 40 of the cover is provided withtransparent inserts 146 with indicia revealed therethrough indicatingthe particular flavoring controlled by the pinch valves 144.

FIGURE 7 illustrates the details of the pinch valves which includes anabutment 148 having a transverse beveled edge d engaging the side of thetube 141] adjacent the skirt 136. The abutment 148 is held stationary bythe provision of a retainer 152 having screw-threaded stud means 154extending through the skirt 136 thus anchoring the abutment 148 inplace. Slidable on the retainer 152 is a sleeve 156 having a spring 158received therein with one end of the spring 58 engaging a cap 161) fixedto the sleeve 156 and the other end engaging the outer end of theretainer 152.

The sleeve 156 includes a pair of diametrically opposed axial extensions162 which extend through slots 164 in the skirt 136 to prevent rotationof the knob 161) and also to prevent rotation of the pinch plate 166which is provided as a connector between a pair of arms 16% connectedwith the axial extensions 162. As illustrated in FIGURE 7, thetransverse plate 166 is provided with :a transverse beveled edge 17th inalignment with the beveled edge 1511 so that the spring 158 will biasthe plate 156 toward the abutment 143 for pinching the tube at 172 thusclosing the tube and maintaining the tube closed until the plunger orabutment is pushed inwardly.

The ope-ration of the refrigerant system is conventional in that themotor compressor unit 68 receives expanded gaseous refrigerant from theevaporator coil 74 through the suction line 72. The hot gas refrigerantis then discharged to the condenser as from the motor compressor throughthe hot gaseous discharge line 76. Air is drawn in through the screen orgrill 5% by the axial flow fan 62 that is driven by the motor 64. Air isthen discharged through the grill 5:? and the condensed refrigerantpasses through strainer 78 and, if desired, a receiver may be providedand then through the restriction device in the form of the capillarytube 81 for maintaining the necessary flow restriction so that thecondensed liquid refrigerant may expand into the evaporator coil 74which due to its to its contact with and in heat exchange relation withthe tank 86 will maintain the water in the tank 86 at a predeterminedtemperature as controlled by the heat bulb which is inserted into thebottom of the tank 36 and which controls operation of the refrigerantsystem by virtue of its being operatively associated with a temperaturecontrol switch 8d that controls electrical input from the male plug tothe compressor motor unit and fan motor thus operating the refrigerantsystem when the temperature of the water in the tank reaches apredetermined maximum and cutting the refrigerant system off when thetemperature of the water in the tank 86 has been lowered to a presetlower temperature with the control switch 84 having an adjustmentarrangement or themnostat for controlling operation of the refrigerantsystem.

Operation of the dispensing mechanisms for the various liquid fiavoringsor syrups will be clearly understood from a perusal of FIGURE 7. Theassociation of the carbon dioxide cylinder 1%? with the inlet orifice126 is also obvious as is the pressure control and reducing valve 102which will only discharge carbon dioxide into the tank as the pressuretherein is reduced to a point below the discharge pressure setting ofthe pressure regulating valve 102 with the faucet 134 being employed todischarge carbonated water into the drinks.

The water supply in the tank may be replenished by removing the cap 96in an obvious manner after the cover for the entire device has beenremoved. With this construction the fountain is portable and may beinstalled at any place having a sufiicient supporting area and anelectrical outlet such as a conventional female plug found in mosthomes.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable home soda fountain comprising a cabinet, a closed watertank in said cabinet capable of withstanding pressure, a cooling coildisposed exteriorly against the tank in heat exchange relation thereto,a refrigeration system disposed within said cabinet and operativelyassociated with the cooling coil for cooling the cooling coil therebycooling the water tank and water therein, a faucet communicated with thewater tank, and pressure means communicated with the water tank forpressurizing the water therein for discharging water when the faucet isopened, said pressure means having a discharge orifice disposedinteriorly of the tank and adjacent the bottom thereof whereby thepressurizing medium will be discharged at the bottom of the supply ofwater in the tank, said pressure source including a cylinder ofcompressed carbon dioxide, a regulating valve regulating the pressure ofcarbon dioxide admitted into the bottom of said tank whereby the carbondioxide Will pressurize the Water and mix with the Water so thatcarbonated Water may be discharged from the tank, said tank having acarbonated water outlet tube connected With the faucet and extendinginto the top of the tank and terminating adjacent the bottom thereof forassuring discharge of carbonated water substantially throughout thevertical height of the tank, heat sensitive means disposed in said tank,and means operated by the heat sensitive means for controlling operationof the refrigeration system, said pressure source including a dischargenozzle of reduced diameter at the inlet end thereof for increasing thevelocity of the carbon dioxide as it is discharged into the wateradjacent the bottom thereof, said cabinet including insulating materialcompletely surrounding and encompassing said tank except for accessmeans for the Water outlet, heat sensitive means and carbon dioxideinlet, said tank having a large filler pipe associated therewith forenabling the tank to be refilled, a closure plug for said pipe thusenabling the Water supply in the tank to be replenished, said cabinetincluding a trough underlying the carbonated water faucet, a removablelid overlying said cabinet and concealing the carbon dioxide cylinder,the closure plug for the pipe and the fittings for inlet and outlet inrelation to the tank, said tank including a pressure release valve toenable excess pressure to be discharged, a plurality of flavoring syrupcontainer members mounted on said cabinet, each said container includinga valved discharge for selectively dispensing each of said flavorsyrups.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein the valved discharge foreach flavoring syrup container includes a flexible discharge hose, andspring-biased means pinching the discharge hose on opposite sidesthereof for closing said hose, said spring-biased means including amanual operating handle for releasing the pressure exerted on the hosefor opening the hose and discharging flavoring syrup therefrom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,278,219 9/1918Richardson et all 62-399 X 1,332,945 3/ 1920 Holderle et a] 62-3991,490,727 4/1924 Billows 62-390 X 1,859,566 5/1932 Konikow 62-399 X2,182,032 12/1939 Muller 62-390 2,673,005 3/1954 Brown 62-390 X2,956,418 10/1960 McCann 62-390 X 3,195,779 7/1965 Nicko 62-390 X LLOYDL. KING, Primary Examiner.

1. A PORTABLE HOME SODA FOUNTAIN COMPRISING A CABINET, A CLOSED WATERTANK IN SAID CABINET CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING PRESSURE, A COOLING COILDISPOSED EXTERIORLY AGAINST THE TANK IN HEAT EXCHANGE RELATION THERETO,A REREFRIGERATION SYSTEM DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CABINET AND OPERATIVELYASSOCIATED WITH THE COOLING COIL FOR COOLING THE COOLING COIL THEREBYCOOLING THE WATER TANK AND WATER THEREIN, A FAUCET COMMUNICATED WITH THEWATER TANK, AND PRESSURE MEANS COMMUNICATED WITH THE WATER TANK FORPRESSURIZING THE WATER THEREIN FOR DISCHARGING WATER WHEN THE FAUCET ISOPENED, SAID PRESSURE MEANS HAVING A DISCHARGE ORIFICE DISPOSEDINTERIORLY OF THE TANK AND ADJACENT THE BOTTOM THEREOF WHEREBY THEPRESSURIZING MEDIUM WILL BE DISCHARGED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SUPPLY OFWATER IN THE TANK, SAID PRESSURE SOURCE INCLUDING A CYLINDER OFCOMPRESSED CARBON DIOXIDE, A REGULASTING VALVE REGULATING THE PRESSUREOF CARBON DIOXIDE ADMITTED INTO THE BOTTOM OF SAID TANK WHEREBY THECARBON DIOXIDE WILL PRESSURIZE THE WATER AND MIX WITH THE WATER SO THATCARBONATED WATER MAY BE DISCHARGED FROM THE TANK, SAID TANK HAVING ACARBONATED WATER OUTLET TUBE CONNECTED WITH THE FAUCET AND EXTENDINGINTO THE TOP OF THE TANK AND TERMINATING ADJACENT THE BOTTOM THEREOF FORASSURING DISCHARGE OF CARBONATED WATER SUBSTANTIALLY THROGHOUT THEVERTICAL HEIGHT OF THE TANK, HEAT SENSITIVE MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID TANK,AND MEANS OPERATED BY THE HEAT SENSITIVE MEANS FOR CONTROLLING OPERATIONOF THE REFRIGERATION SYSTEM, SAID PRESSURE SOURCE INCLUDING A DISCHARGENOZZLE OF REDUCED DIAMETER AT THE INLET END THEROF FOR INCREASING THEVELOCITY OF THE CARBON DIOXIDE AS IT IS DISCHARGED INTO THE WATERADJACENT THE BOTTOM THEREOF, SAID CABINET INCLUDING INSULATING MATERIALCOMPLETELY SURROUNDING AND ENCOMPASSING SAID TANK EXCEPT FOR ACESS MEANSFOR THE WATER OUTLET, HEAT SENSITIVE MEANS AND CARBON DIOXIDE INLET,SAID TANK HAVING A LARGE FILLER PIPE ASSOCIATED THEREWITH FOR ENABLINGTHE TANK TO BE REFILLED, A CLOSURE PLUG FOR SAID PIPE THUS ENABLING THEWATER SUPPLY IN THE TANK TO BE REPLENISHED, SAID CABINET INCLUDING ATROUGH UNDERLYING THE CARBONATED WATER FAUCET, A REMOVABLE LID OVERLYINGSAID CABINET AND CONCEALING THE CARBON DIOXIDE CYLINDER, THE CLOSUREPLUG FOR THE PIPE AND THE FITTINGS FOR INLET AND OUTLET IN RELATION TOTHE TANK, SAID TANK INCLUDING A PRESSURE RELEASE VALE TO ENABLE EXCESSPRESSURE TO BE DISCHARGED, A PLURALITY OF FLAVORING SYRUP CONTAINERMEMBERS MOUNTED ON SAID CABINET, EACH SAID CONTAINER INCLUDING A VALVEDDISCHARGE FOR SELECTIVELY DISPENSING EACH OF SAID FLAVOR SYRUPS.